John m



(No Model.)

J. M. WHITSON.

PENCIL CLASP.

No. 265,476. Patented Oct. 3, 1882..

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OF SAME PLAG E.

PENCIL- GLAS P.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 265,476, dated October 3, 1882.

Application iiled May 29, 1882. (No model.) v

1o all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN M. WHITSON, a citizen of the United States, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Pencil-Olasps, which is fully set forth in the following specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a plan view of my improved pencil-holder. Fig. 2 is a section on the line m a: in Fig. l. Fig. 3 is a perspective view, showing a pencil inserted in the holder.

The same letters denote the same parts in all the figures.

My invention relates to devices to facilitate the carrying of a pencil or pen about the person, so as to have it ready for use wherever the owner may be; and it consists in the several devices and combinations of devices which will be fully set forth hereinafter, and definitely pointed out in the claims.

In the drawings, the letters A and B denote a plate or strip of firm and elastic material, preferably sheet metal, the dimensions of which are determined by convenience,'but will ordihalf in length and halt' an inch in breadth. This plate is bent on itself lengthwise at aline, a', crossing it at right angles and dividing it so that one part, A, shall be a littleordinarily about one-fourth-longer than the other part, B. The two parts are soldered together for a short distance from the line a', so as to hold them nearer to each other. The free end of the part A is bent so as to overlap the free end of B, but without touching it. For a short distance nearits middle part each partis bent in an arch, a or b, away from the other, so that the two together virtually form a tube. The chord of each arch is about equal to the ordinary diameter of a pencil-stock, the altitude ot' each being somewhat less than half that diameter. rlhe two parts A and B thus form a tube, into which a pencil may be pushed, being forced apart by it and closing on it again as soon as itis left in position with a grip which eft'ectually prevents it from slipping out of the holder. At the middle of the line a a hole is made in the plate, through which a pin, C, projects from between the two wings A and B, the wing B being-for a short distance formed up into a groove or half-tube, which serves as a socket for the pin. The hole is made so large as to allow of a slight lateral motion of the pin, whose bluntend is ilattened a little, so as to preventit from passing through. This pin, which is a little longer than the wing B, is bent over so as to be parallel with and-on the outer side of it. The pin is of elastic metal, and the bend near its head takes a sweep sufcient to bring the point, when unconined, a little without the overlapping portion of the free end A. By pushing it a little to one side and pressing it downward it may be slipped under this overlapping portion, and will be held there by its own elasticity. It may be further secured against slipping out of place by means of a groove or arch, a2, formed in the overlapping part of A.

The holder can thus be securely pinned to the coat or vest in any convenient position, so that more or less of the length of the pencil shall be within one ot' the pockets, if desired.

The pencil can readily be withdrawn from it whenever wanted for use, and as readily returned when there is no further occasion for it.

The separation of the parts A and B by the interposition of a pencil-stock presses the part B against the overlapping end of A, so that when the point of the pin is in the groove c2 it is locked there and cannot slip out until after the pencil has been withdrawn. This is importantin guarding against the tendency ot' the pencil, in being drawn out of the holder when the latter is pinned in place, to draw the holder away from the pin, any such operation being impossible until the friction of the pencil on the holder has ceased, when of course the tendency to displace the holder will have ceased also.

Being stamped out of a single piece of sheet metal, the holder can be made very cheaply, and the arrangement of the pin inthe plate without hinge or joint is not only inexpensive, but specially adapted to hold it firmly in its position when fastening the holder to the coat or vest.

What I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

l. The plate A B, bent on itself, shaped substantially as described, and perforated on the IOO 3. The pencil-holder' eonsislingol' the nearly parallel wings A and B, joined at one end and are-lied into a tube in the middle, the wing A overlapping tbe other at its free end, and provided witll tbe groove a in the overlapping portion, in combination with the pin C, arranged as described, substantially as and for the purpose described.

JOHN M. VHITSON.

YVitnesses:

W. C. WlLsoN, JNO. (J. NIAGGREGOR. 

